Of The Coming Of John By W. E. B Dubcott Summary

Within his collection of short stories, The Souls of Black Folk, W.E.B. Du Bois writes a story of two Johns in chapter thirteen, “Of the Coming of John.” This chapter is significant within the book because it presents the dilemma that blacks faced in society even after the abolishment of slavery. Du Bois portrays how being white corresponded with being privileged and how despite the effort blacks put into becoming something other than what society intended them to be and aspiring for greater things, they were still seen as unequal and beneath the white race.
Du Bois introduces the story of a black John and a white John who both grew up in the same town. Once they became old enough they both decided to go off to school and pursue an education. …show more content…
John, however, asks if he can leave for just a semester, work in the city and come back to show the Dean “something”. Once John gets the Deans approval he does just that, and within the text it states that “the serious look that crept over his boyish face that afternoon never left it again.” When he returns to school he dedicates himself to his school work so much that he does not have time to visit home This illustrates the drive that he had to become more in life than what others expected of him and to get an education that would help his community back …show more content…
He speaks a language that his people do not know and he tramples on the things that they believe in by saying that they do not matter as long as one is good and true. He later asks the Judge for the privilege of teaching the Negro school in their community and although he is given permission to do so, he is told that “the Negro must remain subordinate, and can never expect to be equal of white men.” Nevertheless, John teaches his school more than the whites deem plausible and the school is shut